In order to electrically interconnect printed circuit boards to other electrical components, it is necessary to provide electrical connecting lines or cables which lead in and out of the boards. The cables may extend from one printed circuit board to another or from a printed circuit board to an electrical component. In many instances, the cable is a flat flexible cable having a plurality of generally parallel conductors with insulation disposed around and between the respective conductors. It is well known in the art to employ plug-in connectors mounted to the printed circuit board, with terminals of the connector electrically connected to circuit traces on the board. A cable then may be terminated to a second electrical connector which can be mated to the board-mounted connector. Connector assemblies of this type are employed when it is necessary to periodically separate the cable from the printed circuit board. Such connectors often are relatively expensive in a highly competitive industry and take up considerable "real estate" on the board when high density boards have become prevalent.
Therefore, whenever periodic disconnection of the cable from the circuit board is not necessary, the conductors of the cable are directly and permanently connected to the circuit traces on the board, as by solder connections. This direct connection of the cable to the circuit board can result in substantial cost savings and manufacturing efficiencies. The respective conductor leads of the cable can be soldered directly to the circuit traces on the board without having expensive and sizable mating connectors and terminals.
When electrical cables are connected directly to printed circuit boards, some form of strain relief protection is desirable so that the solder connections of the conductors to the circuit traces on the board will not be broken in the event of pulling on the cable. Various strain relief techniques have been used, but they tend to be relatively expensive or cumbersome. For example, electrical contacts may be placed on the conductors and locked into place on the circuit board. This is a rather expensive expedient. Strain relief clips or brackets have been used to hold the cable by means of various boardlocks. However, such clips or brackets most often are of a clamping type wherein they embrace or clamp the cable and, consequently, they require considerable "real estate" on the board just like the expensive mateable connectors.
The present invention is directed to providing a unique strain relief system and clip for holding an electrical cable to a printed circuit board in a very simple, very inexpensive and efficient manner.